Bluebell
by wickedsingularity
Summary: [x-mas stories 2017 #2, drabble] On a mission for the Order one cold December evening. Remus knows what to do to warm me up.


_wickedsingularity's Christmas Stories 2017_

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Something seemed to be flickering in the dark. I refused to open my eyes to check, even though I probably should, just in case it was something threatening. But I instead wrapped my cloak tighter around myself and tried to stop my teeth from chattering from the biting cold. I scrunched up my eyes to keep the flickering light away, desperate to get some sleep.

"Here." Remus' voice drifted in through my cold haze, and now curiosity forced me to open my eyes. He had kneeled in front of me and in his hands was a big jar, filled to the brim with bright burning bluebell flames.

"Remus? What?" I raised myself up on my elbow and looked up at his face, lit in an eerie way from below. "I thought we couldn't use magic in this spot."

"Which is why I took a walk when you laid down." He set the jar down in front of me. "Hold this. It should keep you warm."

"What about you?"

Remus hesitated for a moment. "Werewolf, remember?" He tried to grin, but it was stiff and didn't reach his eyes.

"Silver lining." I tried to convey how okay I was with him being a werewolf, stared into his amber eyes and wished for him to understand. He never did, no matter how many times I tried.

"I suppose. Now, take the jar. I'll do one more sweep of the area, and then go to sleep as well."

I pulled the jar close and felt the warmth immediately. With a smile up to Remus, I put it inside my cloak and tried to curl around it the best I could, and with a chuckle, he stood up and walked away, his wand at the ready.

Slowly, the warmth spread through my body and drowsiness replaced the shivering, inch by inch.

Remus and I were on a mission for the Order of the Phoenix. In this particular area of the forest, the Death Eaters had put up spells and wards to detect magic, and we were only to use magic in self-defence. It was also the middle of December, and while there was no snow in the area yet, it was cold enough for frost to stick to the ground. Remus must have walked pretty far away to be able to perform a spell to conjure the jar and then create the Bluebell flames and not be caught. A different kind of warmth spread through me at the thought, and much more rapidly than the warmth from the jar.

I heard him rustling around, stepping over fallen leaves and broken twigs. He was by no means noisy, he knew very well how to be stealthy. But I was trying to listen. And I may even be imagining it, but it was comforting to even think that I heard him.

Feeling warmer and more comfortable, my teeth had stopped chattering, I felt sleep pull at me. But something made my eyes snap open each time they fell shut of their own accord. I felt annoyed but was too exhausted to do anything about it, having been on the move and on full alert all day.

Soon, Remus came back. I looked up at his figure in the dark, the slight shine of Bluebell flames seeping out from under my cloak did nothing to illuminate him. He was looking around the little clearing we had decided to settle in for the night. Always so cautious and alert. Then he crouched down to move away some of the debris on the ground, and – as if he could tell I was staring – snapped his eyes up to meet mine. The Bluebell light got caught in his eyes and made them glow almost ghostlike.

"Are you still awake?" he whispered.

"Yeah."

"Go to sleep. There's no one and nothing around here to worry about. We'll be safe here until the sun rises." He laid down and wiggled himself into a comfortable position.

"Thank you for the Bluebell flames, Remus," I whispered.

He just waved his hand dismissively in my direction, before wrapping his cloak tight around himself.

"I'm serious. And if you're cold, I can share."

"I'll be fine. Sleep."

I didn't push. I had made the offer, and he knew he could accept if he needed to. Besides, I was finally feeling sleep pull me under, for good this time. I heard Remus' breaths slow down and then his whisper of _goodnight_ and that was the last thing I heard.


End file.
